‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: Sutton Foster. Photo: Joan Marcus.

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
Book by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer & Dean Fuller
Music by Mary Rodgers
Lyrics by Marshall Barer
Adapted by Amy Sherman-Palladino
Directed by Lear deBessonet
Hudson Theatre
141 W 44th Street
https://onceuponamattressnyc.com/

By Scott Harrah

Once Upon a Mattress recently transferred from a hit City Center Encores! production earlier this year to Broadway. It is the perfect vehicle for two of Broadway’s most delightful musical comedy talents: Michael Urie and Sutton Foster. With a crisp new adaptation by Amy Sherman-Palladino of “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” fame, this latest revival of the Mary Rodgers/Marshall Barer classic is one of the summer’s hottest shows.

Once Upon a Mattress is the story of a fictional medieval kingdom. The musical focuses on Princess Winnifred the Woebegone (Sutton Foster), an awkward, gawky woman from a mystical swamp kingdom who is chosen to be the bride of Prince Dauntless the Drab (Michael Urie). Queen Aggravain (Ana Gasteyer), Prince Dauntless’ mother, is determined to ensure her son remains unmarried and devises impossible tests for Princess Winnifred to pass. The queen has been sabotaging all potential matches to maintain control of the kingdom. Her husband King Sextimus the Silent (David Patrick Kelly) is powerless because he was made mute by a curse cast by a witch. Princess Winnifred—or “Fred” as she prefers to be called—is not the first princess to be tested to see if she is a worthy bride. Queen Aggravain has already rejected several princesses that her son wanted to marry. She devises what she thinks will be a foolproof test, with the help of the Wizard (Brooks Ashmankas): Winnifred must sleep on a huge stack of mattresses with a tiny pea underneath one and if she is truly “royalty,” she will be hyper-sensitive and not sleep and, thus, pass the test. Otherwise, if she actually sleeps, the “test” will show she’s merely a commoner and, therefore, cannot marry the prince.

The musical is mostly famous for launching the career of comedienne Carol Burnett when she originated the role of Princess Winnifred when Once Upon a Mattress opened on Broadway in 1959. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, the saga is a lighthearted spoof of the storybook genre. It was last revived in 1996 with Sara Jessica Parker in the lead role, and a 2005 TV version starred Tracey Ullman. So, the show has always been a vehicle for its leading lady, and this iteration is perfect for Broadway and TV veteran Sutton Foster. Ms. Foster shows off talents many never knew she had, such as her natural gift for physical comedy. With her many pratfalls and slapstick moves—from eating grapes to lifting weights—she has much more to do onstage than in her role as Marian the Librarian in the 2022 revival of The Music Man, in which she was often overshadowed by mega star Hugh Jackman. When she belts out the show’s signature song “Shy,” one can see why Once Upon a Mattress was such an important career starter for Carol Burnett, but Ms. Foster manages to give her own unique interpretation of Princess Winnifred. The musical is Ms. Foster’s from the moment she arrives, wet and dirty from the moat, jumps into the castle and into the prince’s life.

Michael Urie, as Prince Dauntless, is outstanding as always. Is there chemistry between Mr. Urie and Ms. Foster? Not really, but it doesn’t matter, because this is a goofy musical that never takes itself seriously. In his tights, crown and cape, Mr. Urie is a lovable nerdy prince.

Other standouts include Nikki Renée Daniels as Lady Larken, the girlfriend of Sir Harry (Will Chase). Ms. Daniels has a beautiful coloratura voice and she and Mr. Chase are in rapturous harmony on such duets as “In a Little While” and “Yesterday I Loved You.” “Saturday Night Live” alum Ana Gasteyer plays a caustically mean Queen Aggravain.

Daniel Breaker as the Jester, and Brooks Ashmankas as the Wizard, fare less well in supporting roles in which they ham it up with goofy antics, but Once Upon a Mattress is supposed to be an absurdist musical comedy so there’s nothing wrong with screwball high jinks.

David Zinn’s sets are fairly spartan, featuring the orchestra right on stage above the action. Director Lear deBessonet gets consistently good performances from the cast, and one thing is certain: This revival of Once Upon a Mattress features one of Sutton Foster’s best comic performances to date.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published August 17, 2024
Reviewed at August 15, 2024 press performance

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: Michael Urie, Sutton Foster & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: David Patrick Kelly, Michael Urie & Ana Gasteyer. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: The cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: Daniel Breaker & Brooks Ashmankas. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: Sutton Foster, Michael Urie & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

The post ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ revival a delight appeared first on StageZine.

‘KISS ME, KATE’: Kelli O’Hara. Photo: Joan Marcus

KISS ME, KATE
Book by Sam & Bella Spewack
Music & lyrics by Cole Porter
Directed by Scott Ellis
Choreography by Warren Carlyle
Through June 30, 2019
Studio 54
254 West 54th Street
(212-719-1300), www.RoundaboutTheatre.org

By David NouNou

In last year’s revival of My Fair Lady at the Vivian Beaumont, the balance of power shifted from Henry Higgins to Eliza Doolittle. This year Roundabout Theatre Company has chosen to do the same sort of gender-power transference with Kiss Me, Kate, in which Lilli Vanessi/Katherine (Kelli O’Hara) trounces Fred Graham/Petruchio (Will Chase) at every turn and in every scene. Having Ms. O’Hara in the part opposite Will Chase, it becomes an absolute knockout.

Cole Porter wrote one of the most glorious scores of all time for a Broadway musical and the songs are as vibrant as ever. The book by the Spewacks hasn’t weathered as well. Act I sets the story in motion, and for all the wonderful songs in Act II, they do not advance the story line much further; they act more as fillers, which was the case in a lot of musicals at the time.

Set in a Baltimore theater, the show starts with the brilliant “Another Op’nin, Another Show,” which sets the tone and mood of what is about to unfold. Lilli Vanessi has returned to the theater one last time to make her farewell performance in Taming of the Shrew, written, produced and directed by her ex-husband Fred Graham. They were married, very much in love but are currently divorced. The complications begin when Fred has cast his latest flirtation, Lois Lane/Bianca (Christine Cornish Smith) and her one true love Bill Calhoun/Lucentio (Corbin Bleu) to also be in Taming of the Shrew. Trouble ensues when Lili finds about Fred’s extracurricular activity involving Lois.

Due to the shift in power, it isn’t so much as taming of the shrew as getting even with your ex-husband. Kelli O’Hara as the shrew, Katherine, is an absolute revelation. She was a sensation in South Pacific, The Pajama Game and her Tony Award-winning role of Anna in The King and I. Here she has elevated her rank to a prima donna diva. Her voice is stunning and her acting is sublime. Will Chase does a valiant Fred/Petruchio, but the deck is stacked against him. Corbin Bleu as the hoofer Bill Calhoun is sensational. However, the highlight of the night is the opening number in Act II “Too Darn Hot,” set on the rooftop of the theater during their intermission where the dancers come up to cool off but instead end up blowing the roof off the theater.

The other thing to remember is when you see a show being directed by Scott Ellis, you know you are in for a treat. He never disappoints and he always has new tricks up his sleeve. He is rhythmically complemented by the wonderful choreographer, Warren Carlyle, and each of his numbers are absolute eye-poppers.

Wunderbar!

Editor’s Note: Understudy Christine Cornish Smith played the role of Lois Lane/Bianca at the performance reviewed here, substituting for Stephanie Styles.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 21, 2019
Reviewed at March 20, 2019 press performance.

‘KISS ME, KATE’: The cast. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KISS ME, KATE’: The cast. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KISS ME, KATE’: Will Chase. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KISS ME, KATE’: (left to right) Preston Truman Boyd, Stephanie Styles, Corbin Bleu & Justin Prescott. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KISS ME, KATE’: (left to right) Will Burton, Rick Faugno, Stephanie Styles & Corbin Bleu. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KISS ME, KATE’: (left to right) John Pankow, Will Chase & Lance Coadie Williams. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KISS ME, KATE’: Corbin Bleu, Sarah Meahl & Erica Mansfield. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KISS ME, KATE’: Corbin Bleu & Stephanie Styles. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KISS ME, KATE’: Kelli O’Hara. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘KISS ME, KATE’: Kelli O’Hara & Will Chase. Photo: Joan Marcus

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